December 20th

The charity was founded by Rustonite Kathy Reeg, Ruston Daily Leader Publisher Rick Hohlt and Community Trust Bank CEO Drake Mills in the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
When Hurricane Rita reared her vicious head and added to the misery of those living along the Gulf Coast region, it became apparent that the job of recovery was too big for one agency or state to handle. It was from this realization that the Katrina Foundation for Recovery was born.

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This year is no exception and the Ruston’s Junior Auxiliary is doing its part to help local children in need through the Christmas Clearinghouse program. Children are recommended through Lincoln Parish schools and matched with families willing to “adopt” them by purchasing gifts for Christmas.
This year the situation is magnified due to the influx of families fleeing the devastation brought by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Many of these families lost everything they owned in the floods that followed the Category storms. Most arrived in our area with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

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But after a 70-60 victory over Farmerville High, head coach Chris Bush wasn’t exactly bestowing praiseworthy bouquets on his team.
“I wasn’t very pleased,” summed up the first-year leader for the ‘Cats. “We didn’t rebound, we didn’t defend and we didn’t hustle like we should have. But we’ll stay after them and get it done right.”
Bush, who was head coach at Natchitoches Central prior to getting the RHS assignment earlier this year, can thank Orren Tims for a big chunk of keeping that winning string going.

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Even those who do not celebrate Christmas as the time of Christ’s birth still should appreciate the joy and — gasp — simplicity of this time.
Our world has become so obsessed with the materialistic version of Christmas — the one that can be found at the store, put on a credit card and wrapped in a box — that we forget that Christmas should be seen as a time for love and for family.
Whether Christian, Jew, Buddhist, atheist or whatever, everyone at least can look beyond what is advertised on television with sparkles and bells and whistles and see their family.

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Tommy Phillips, co-owner of National Jewelry, located at 101 E. Reynolds Drive, said he suspected many of his customers already knew what they wanted and were waiting until the sales tax holiday to make their purchases. He said business boomed over the weekend.
“Friday was huge,” Phillips said. “Saturday and Sunday were very good days, too, but Friday was unbelievable. It (the sales tax holiday) really boosted our sales.”
Phillips added he felt the sales tax holiday helped out Christmas shoppers.

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The Bulldogs, usually renowned for their offensive prowess, made big strides on the defensive side during the recently completed season.
Tech finished no. 1 in turnoves among the 10 teams who comprise the WAC and jumped several notches in four other defensive departments.
In passing efficiency defense, the ’Dogs leaped from a No. 7 final listing in ’04 to No. 2 this year.
For total defense, Tech jumped from No. 7 to No. 3.
And for both defending against the run and in allowing points, the Bulldogs went from No. 5 to No. 3.

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Witness an in-state meeting against McNeese State University at the Thomas Assembly Center on Saturday afternoon.
Led by former Ruston High School star Corey Dean, an energetic and opportunistic group of backups played a prominent role in an 80-67 victory in front of an estimated 1,600 fans.
Of that point total for Tech (6-4), 37 were supplied by reserves and 14 of those came from senior guard Dean.

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Fraternity members didn’t leave their feelings for the 8-year-old child behind.
The silhouette display was part of Bienville Parish’s annual Domestic Abuse Resistance Team’s (D.A.R.T.) candlelight vigil to remember the victims of domestic violence. Noriega was 6-years-old when his step-father, Barry Baker, murdered his mother, Melanie Noriega Baker, in a car at a Gibsland intersection as the child pleaded for her life.

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I can sit at a Ruston High football game, a Simsboro basketball contest or a Cedar Creek baseball matchup with rival Oak Grove and be content. While I’m there, I can tell you many of the tendencies, strengths and weaknesses of our best athletes here in Lincoln Parish.
In fact, in my relatively short period of covering sporting events, I’ve become quite efficient at analyzing game situations and our area teams. I have a gift in that area.
What normally doesn’t happen, however, is for me to truly get inside the mind of one of our high school athletes.

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The $2,500 donation was raised from the sale of Katrina bands. The bands are blue in color and have the word “Katrina” in black letters on the band. The band can be picked up for a $5 donation, which goes directly to supplying food, clothing, shelter, medicines, education and transportation into the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina.
“This first donation will help pay for gas for trucks to transport supplies to the areas hit by Hurricane Katrina,” Foundation president Kathy Reeg said.

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